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Advocacy for your Profession

American Cancer Society

Overview

• What is a community Health Worker?

• What does a Community Health Worker do?

• How can other stakeholders help establish the profession?

• What can you do to influence other stakeholders?

CHWs are an emerging workforce, newer to most “mainstream” public health and health care settings–but with deep roots in many communities.

Known by a variety of titles such as outreach worker, care guide, community health advisor, peer educator, promotora (Latino communities) and community health representative (American Indian communities), CHWs provide outreach, health education, care coordination and advocacy for underserved patients of all ages.

Emerging

Community Health Workers

A community health worker is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.

A community health worker also builds individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support and advocacy.

APHA Definition

“Community Health Workers (CHWs) come from the communities they serve, building trust and vital relationships. This trusting relationship enables the CHWs to be effective links between their own communities and systems of care. This crucial relationship significantly lowers health disparities in Minnesota because CHWs: provide access to services, improve the quality and cultural competence of care, create an effective system of chronic disease management, and increase the health knowledge and self sufficiency of underserved populations.”

MN CHWA Definition

How can you tell the story?

• An idea of what a community health worker is

• An example that makes it tangible, something a CHW does to help promote health

• An action that the audience can take to make it relevant to their experience

Early Detection Improves Survival Rates

Early Detection Improves Survival Rates

What if you don’t have insurance?

What is covered?

How do people learn about Sage?

What are other ways that CHWs reach people who could benefit

from health services?

A CHW could

Promote cancer screening Explain impact of early detection And the availability of the Sage program to

pay for screening if they are uninsured

BUT the HOW is important

Emerging Requires Understanding

Understanding the How can help people understand the WHO (both CHWs and the people they serve)

Recognizing the value of a CHW can lead people to make the staff role a priority

Movement from grant funded positions to something more sustainable

Understanding supports Sustainability

Clinic Medicaid Reimbursement

County Job Openings

Health Insurance Companies

Nothing About You Without You

Your Voice can help establish a profession in the eyes of stakeholders

When you speak you are practicing the skills that will help you link people to health services

Community Value

How could you be the connection?

What is your story, your role?

Is this past, present or future?

What problem could you, as a CHW help address?

Who do you want to reach?

Community Members Local Employers State Lawmakers

Take a moment to pick one of these three audiences

Letters to the Editor

Short (Less than 250 words) Response to something in the news Illustrates an opportunity that a CHW has

made or could make a difference Notes a way that readers could support the

profession

Is Health Care in the News?

Elements

Thanks for covering breast cancer with the story on “Pink the Rink” Opportunity to raise awareness could get

people screened, and screening can improve survival OR pivot to less visible issue (eg mental health) Note how CHWs also play/could play this

role in our community

Call to Action

Plug community resources (Sage) Learn more about CHWs Encourage clinics to hire them Contact your elected officials

Health Awareness Months

Hint: Breast Cancer is not the only health issue with an awareness month

Practice Writing Letters

Writing about other issues is good practice so you can make the most when writing about CHWs

Are you on social media?

How could I make this facebook post about vaping a “hook” for talking about CHWs and tobacco cessation?

Retweet with or without comment?

Local Elected Officials

Could the resolution include a clause about CHWs?

Resolutions can go viral

State Elected Officials

Contacting Elected Officials

How could you contact your Rep?

You do not need to start with a face-to-face meeting!

What would you talk about?

How will you make it real?

What do you want them to know?

How will you explain it?

What is YOUR connection to it?

How can you build the relationship?

Contact your elected official more than once

Contact them in more than one way

Contact them on more than one issue

Build up to a chance to meet them in person

Politics is a Team Sport

Look for other community members that share your interest in promoting CHWs and encourage them to contact your elected officials

Include both CHWs and CHW allies

Look for ways to work across district boundries

Statewide Advocacy

Thank you!